Using 'unhappy' children in films - how is this done safely?

[Sarah961]

I watched the trailer for a film made by some acquaintances of mine yesterday. During this there was a scene with a small child, witnessing a fight between two adults, and walking away from it clearly extremely distressed, sobbing, saying 'Ma-ma' in that broken way children do when they are horribly upset or frightened.

I couldn't watch it again to check whether it was possible the child was edited into the scene so not actually crying because of the fighting, that it wasn't really her Mum, and she was upset for some other reason.

The child looked about 4.

Whatever the reason for the crying, it was not acting. It was genuine fear or distress, that much was obvious and it was incredibly painful to watch.

I'm pretty shocked that they thought it was Ok to use footage of a child in real distress, and also wondering what happened to make her so distressed, and if they just allowed it because they needed the footage for the film?

I kind of need someone to reassure me here. I absolutely hate seeing children crying in TV or films, because I think the same thing - they let them cry, or they may have even made them cry.?

This is wrong, isn't it?

I've never seen Sophie's choice but I just watched the choice on YouTube....Jesus that is spine chilling.

Why did she choose the girl in the end?

Need, I've just done the same thing. Horrific. I've never seen it either and tbh I'm not sure I want to. Much as it looks very very good and Meryl Streep is amazing.

Having worked in the industry up until three years ago, these are some of my opsivations. Baby scenes - as little time as possible is spent using real live babies - most of the babies you see on set are not real, close up shots -'I've babies face crying - the baby will be being held by the mother and may naturally have started to cry ( tired, hungry etc)!it is normally left to a second crew to sit waiting for this to happen - these shots are adding into a previous take.
I have sat during what appear to be shouting scenes on TV however the actors maybe being later dubbed over, one particular scene I recall had a mother having her child removed from her - aged about three- looked about two. The little boy could see his mother at all times but was asked to sit with someone he had spent the day getting to know (me) the artists then acted the scene through with the actress coming over and picking him up during it. As he hadn't met her he did look bewildered and his face dropped with a wobbly bottom lip - that was enough to make a good scene and he was filmed by B camera throughout the day doing normal toddler getting frustrated with toys / not having his blue cup type things. When cut together it looked as though he was deeply distressed - on TV it lasted perhaps 30 second but had taken over two days to get enough to put together.
The scenes regarding blood and gore - the children are chatted too by the actor with parents before the scene is put in place so the child has seen it all and knows that the person is really ok - I have good memories of two children having to try to look frightened when the actor kept winking at them.
Children are often much older than they appear. With call the midwife they have a large amount of babies on set and it is only a matter of time before one or the other s will cry.
I have watched programs I've worked on and it still amazes me how with good editing things can be made to appear not as they occurred.
The fake babies are amazing, they are weighted and move like a real baby and will be used in all the scenes where a baby is held and it is not close up.

Babies can only be on set for a very short length... I think about 20minutes, which, let's face it is less time than controlled crying.

All children should have a chaperone or parent with them who should stop anything they think is upsetting/handled badly etc. I suspect parents are more inclined to let things continue as they'll be more personally bound up in it.

As a chaperone you can (and I have done... Stage not film) say you aren't happy and they have to discuss changing to your satisfaction. And you can also say that your charges have had enough sand they are stopping now. Again I've done that a couple of times.
Any issues you can bring in the local authority children in entertainment group and they will take it very seriously, including sending out representatives straight away.

Remember Ricky Schroder in The Champ at the end?

DD has done some acting - and was in demand because she can cry on command, and has been able to since she was about 3 (or at least, that the age at which I worked out that she can turn the waterworks on and off at will). I've asked her what she thinks about when she makes herself cry, and she says usually thinking about her cat dying does it, or losing a favourite toy. Nothing massively upsetting, and the second you tell her to stop, she does.

I was wondering this whilst watching Angela's Ashes.

Hi everyone,
Just sweeping this great thread into films. OP please do shout if this is a problem.